The annual UNTA General Assembly was hosted on Nov. 24th this year out of the Creative Thinking Center at the NPUST Library and International Conference Hall. NPUST’s President, Chang Hsien-Tai, delivered the main address to the assembly at the opening session and the Dean of the Office of International Affairs, Pomin Li, provided a briefing on each of the major developments that UNTA has experienced since its founding, including the long-standing “Scholar Exchange Visits” and “Research Cooperation” and the more recent “Online Courses” and “Newsletter”, which came in 2020 and 2021. In the future, there are plans to hold summer camps on topics related to sustainability and to conduct student exchanges and provide scholarships for students from member universities.
This year, 10 member universities from five countries participated in the assembly, including IPB University (IDN), Periyar University (IND), National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (TWN), Maejo University, Kasetsart University, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, and Mahasarakham University (THA), and Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, and University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (VNM).
Following the briefing from the Secretariat, ballots were cast to decide the host for UNTA 2022. Proposal outlines were provided by three central UNTA figures, namely, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weerapon Thongma of Maejo University (THA), Dr. Anirut Pipatprapa of RMUTI (THA), and Prof. Nguyen Hung Quang of TAUF (VNM). Once the votes were cast and tallied, Maejo University of Thailand was confirmed as the host for the 2022 UNTA Conference, which will be planned with the assistance of the UNTA Secretariat. Members are all hopeful that for the 2022 meeting, everyone will be able to convene at the Maejo University campus in person rather than holding the event virtually.
